Millard will build the team to tackle D200's challenges

Opinion

Tuesday, March 8th, 2005 10:00 PM

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This letter is written to endorse the candidacy of Dietra D. Millard, M.D. for a seat on the District 200 School Board in the coming election. Having known Dee both professionally and personally for many years, we feel that her successful career as a physician educator as well as her own personal attributes make her an ideal candidate for this position.

As a member of the faculty of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Dee has been involved in the education of medical students, residents and fellows. She has served on committees to revise the medical school curriculum, has taught medical students using a problem based approach, has provided didactic lectures to the residents, organized journal clubs and seminars for the fellows and has spent countless hours teaching during patient rounds and at the bedside. She truly understands the need to adapt teaching styles and educational programs to meet the needs of all the students. From her work at the medical school on both the admissions committee and as a member of the mentoring program designed to improve the credentials of minority applicants, she is keenly aware of the importance of providing our students not only with superior and varied academic programs but also with quality extra-curricular activities and cultural experiences.

Just as Dee understands that the successful treatment of a tiny, critically ill newborn requires a team and not just a physician or a nurse, she understands that the education of our children likewise requires a large and diverse team. Dee well knows that for a team to be effective, there must be good communication among all the members. If elected, we feel certain that Dee would facilitate productive communication and respect among all members of the educational team, including board members, the superintendent, deans, faculty, extra-curricular activity advisors, community resource groups, students and most importantly, the parents.

Dee welcomes a challenge. She has never met a problem she didn't want to solve and will look in places and in ways that most of us would never think of to find the solution. She is willing, and, in fact, enjoys debating issues. She speaks independently and has the courage to make and defend decisions that, on occasion, may differ from the majority opinion. She imposes a very high standard of practice on herself, and holds those who practice with her to the same standard. When she makes a commitment, it is complete?#34;she will not stop until the job is finished. We believe this is exactly the kind of person the students and parents of Oak Park and River Forest need to have on the District 200 School Board.

We ask that you cast your District 200 School Board vote on April 6 for the first name on the ballot: Dietra D. Millard, M.D.